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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #399142
Research Project: Determination of Flavor and Healthful Benefits of Florida-Grown Fruits and Vegetables and Development of Postharvest Treatments to Optimize Shelf Life an Quality for Their Fresh and Processed Products

Location: Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research

Title: First report of Lasiodiplodia Pseudotheobromae causing postharvest decay of strawberries in Florida

Author
item ZHANG, IUXU - University Of Florida
item YAN, JIAQI - China Agriculture University
item Bai, Jinhe
item HU, CUIFENG - University Of Florida
item PAN, TENGFEI - Fujian Agricultural & Forestry University
item CARRILLO, YISEL - University Of Florida
item CARDENAS, DANIELA - University Of Florida
item CANO, LILIANA - University Of Florida
item RITENOUR, MARK - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/5/2023
Publication Date: 2/6/2024
Citation: Zhang, I., Yan, J., Bai, J., Hu, C., Pan, T., Carrillo, Y., Cardenas, D., Cano, L., Ritenour, M. 2024. First report of Lasiodiplodia Pseudotheobromae causing postharvest decay of strawberries in Florida. Plant Disease. 108:519. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-07-23-1376-PDN.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-07-23-1376-PDN

Interpretive Summary: Strawberries are one of the most consumed fruits with high nutritional value and appealing sensory attributes. Postharvest decay is a major factor causing fresh strawberry losses. From decayed Florida strawberries we first detected and isolated the Diplodia-like pathogen. These decays initially showed grayish white mycelia on a small area of the fruit surface, then gradually changed to gray to dark grey mycelia spreading over whole fruit. The infected fruit eventually became black, shrunk and mummified, and pycnidia might be observed (up to 2 weeks of incubation at room temperature). The sequences of five isolates have been performed and deposited in GenBank. The tested isolates are pathogenic to strawberries and infect strawberries via both injuries and intact surface tissues. This research provides fundamental information for developing strawberry decay control management strategies in Florida.

Technical Abstract: A diplodia-like decay was observed from Florida strawberries. These decays initially exhibited grayish white mycelia on a small area of the fruit surface, then gradually changed to gray and dark grey mycelia covering the whole fruit. The infected fruit eventually became black, shrunken, mummified, with pycnidia sometimes observed after up to 2 weeks of incubation. These fungi were isolated by aseptically transferring mycelia onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) at 25 ºC. Five isolates were identified as Lasiodiplodia pseudotheobromae based on the morphological and cultural characters. The fungus infected fruit from both injured and non-injured fruit surfaces, indicating these isolates are pathogenic to strawberries. Genomic DNA of these five representative fungal isolates showed 99.64 to 100% and 100% identity to the sequences of ITS (MK368390.1) and EF1-a (MK681716.1), respectively, of L. pseudotheobromae. The sequences of these isolates have been deposited in GenBank under consecutive accession numbers (OP326017 to OP326021 for ITS, and OP356202 to OP356206 for EF1-a). This current study and the other recently published report indicate that Lasiodiplodia and Neofusicoccum species complex is involved in causing new fruit decays on Florida produced strawberries. This study provides new information in helping develop more comprehensive strawberry decay control management strategies in Florida.